A lot of proof-texting religious conservative have taken to comparing the wall which President Trump is calling for and the wall which Nehemiah built in the Old Testament.
Trump is not Nehemiah and we are not Israel. The problem with this analogy, specific to Nehemiah, and his wall, is that the circumstances are completely different in numerous ways.
Nehemiah sought the permission of the ruler to return to Jerusalem to build the entire city back up, including the wall. The Jews at this time are under the rule of the Persians, specifically, King Artaxerxes. Here is our first significant difference. We are not under the rule of any foreign power who we must ask permission of in order to return to our homeland.
Also, if we are comparing Trump to Nehemiah and Trump’s proposed wall to Nehemiah’s wall, then we must look at not only the men, but their missions, as well as the circumstances. The circumstances in a religiously pluralistic society and the circumstances in a Jewish society that is theocratic are completely different.
For the sake of whatever witness the church has left, stop claiming that Trump belongs to God. Stop calling any president a modern day prophet.
Let’s be honest, Nehemiah may have built a wall, but Joshua tore one down, so at best the Bible is ambiguous about walls when stories about them are used for proof-texting.
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